Mark A. Piche was stopped on March 17 for erratic driving and showed the officer a Rensselaer County badge, Watervliet Police Chief Ron Boisvert said.

The officer, at his discretion, warned Piche and released him, Boisvert said. Subsequently, State Police informed city police that Piche’s badge was to have been surrendered when he resigned his county correction officer job in July.

Piche was under investigation by state and federal agencies for alleged election law improprieties and misuse of union funds. He previously was president of Sheriffs Employees Association of Rensselaer County.